Saguaro National Park



Located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert and approximately 55 miles north of the Mexican border is the Saguaro National Park. Saguaro National Park consists of two separate areas, Saguaro west or Tucson Mountain District (TMD) and Saguaro east or Rincon Mountain District (RMD). Together there is over 91,000 acres of desert life. The two are separated by the city of Tucson and 1 million people.

What a decision, which one do we visit and what is the difference between them. We are camped closer to RMD so that is where we decided to start our cacti adventure. Both parks have several miles of hiking trails some short and easy other very long and strenuous. Our trek today is by truck on the 8 mile Cactus Forest Loop drive.

Saguaro National Park - Rincon Mountain District

Saguaro National Park did not always look the way it does today. During the 1880's the railroad came to Tucson bringing more people. With more people can the need for an increase in land for cattle grazing. This activity caused young seedlings to be trampled resulting in their destruction. The elimination of cattle grazing as late as 1979 has caused a rebirth in the cactus forest.

Several different types of cactus grow here

Saguaros grow very slowly. It starts as a black shiny seed the size of a pinhead. One saguaro can produce 40 million seeds in it's lifetime. After one year a seedling may be 1/4 inch tall.
After 15 years the saguaro may barely reach 12 inches tall.
After 75 years the saguaro begins to sprout it's first branches or arms. These arms start as prickly balls on the sides of the saguaro.

The start of arms

Saguaros can reach 50 feet tall, have several arms, and weigh over 8 tons, of which 90% is water.

Saguaro cactus are supported by a strong framework of long woody ribs. These become apparent after a cactus dies. These giant cacti can live 150 years.

Ribs are apparent on this dead saguaro

Saguaro National Park is home to several other types of cactus and plant life. Susan decided to get up close and personal with this cactus.

Fish-hook barrel cactus

Staghorn cholla

Chain-fruit cholla

Desert animals are well adapted to life in these harsh conditions. They include the desert tortoise, Gila monsters, jackrabbits, javelinas, Gambel's quail, and Western diamondback rattlesnakes. Great I'm not telling Susan about that one, she would never get out of the truck.

Harris's Antelope Squirrel

As we continued our drive around the park we noticed Saguaros growing on top of rocks.

Before leaving the park we got to see a rare crested or cristate saguaro. The growing cactus produces a fan-like tip giving it an unusual look. Scientists are unsure as to the reason this deformity occurs.

Crested Saguaro